


Anakin's Growing Problem

by Anonymous



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Angst, Belly Expansion, Body Horror, Bullying, Dark Obi-Wan Kenobi, Gen, Gender Identity, Human Experimentation, Hurt, Hurt Obi-Wan Kenobi, Hurt/Comfort, Jedi, Jedi Temple (Star Wars), Jedi healers, Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Medical Procedures, Mpreg, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Padawan Anakin Skywalker, Parasites, Pregnancy, Protective Obi-Wan Kenobi, Self-Harm, Self-Indulgent, Teen Pregnancy, Whump, kids are mean, rapid pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:46:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21779308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: After being captured and experimented on, Anakin must learn to deal with a growing problem with the help of his Master.ORThe one where Anakin gets pregnant and Obi-Wan is left to pick up the pieces.
Comments: 29
Kudos: 116
Collections: Anonymous





	1. The Scientist

**Author's Note:**

> This a self-indulgent fic that I've been dying to write for some time. I hope you enjoy :)

In the months following Anakin’s sixteenth birthday, the Master and Padawan were given a mission by the Council on behalf of the Republic. It was of the highest priority that they track down a rogue scientist who was wanted by authorities for carrying out illegal experiments on sentient beings. Much progress had been made in tracking him down, their search leading them to a swampy Outer Rim planet. They had been there for weeks at that point and both Master and Padawan were eager to finish their task and return back to Coruscant.

The Scientist, who’s name was Lewyn Caros, was the very definition of a mad scientist. He had broken the Republics' Right of Sentience Bill by performing highly illegal and unethical experimentations on people. The result of which had caused an uproar in the scientific and medical community as well as a wonderful segment in the holo-news. It wasn’t until the Republic asked for the Jedi’s help in apprehending Caros that Anakin and Kenobi were tasked with cleaning the mess up.

It seemed as though the Jedi were always cleaning up the Republic’s mess in one way or another and this was no exception.

Wading through the swampy marshes, he could hear Anakin grumbling behind him. Although accustomed to the heat, Anakin was not used to the muggy, tropical heat that seemed to make every article of clothing sticky and hot.

Once Caros was safely returned to the authorities on Coruscant, Kenobi would be glad to be back at the Temple and not wading through marshes. Anakin would be glad too, the young Padawan eager to return to his friends and classmates at the Temple. Now that Anakin was getting older, he was starting to fit in a little bit better than when had first come to the Temple. He was just getting to the point where he was starting to feel comfortable. He was even making friends too, which Kenobi was happy about.

Things were starting to look up for Anakin and Kenobi could only hope that it would remain that way.

**V**

Entering the underground facility where Caros was holed up was easy. Finding him, however, was beginning to prove difficult as Anakin and Kenobi wandered through the maze of hallways and corridors aimlessly.

“Master,” began Anakin, staying close behind Kenobi, “do you feel that? The Force—”

“I feel it too, young one,” replied Kenobi, their connection to the Force disrupted. There was only one thing that could disrupt one’s connection to the Force in such a way and it didn’t bode well with either one of them.

“What do we do?” asked Anakin, clearly looking to Obi-Wan for wisdom and guidance in the face of uncertainty. “If we can’t connect to the Force—"

Kenobi glanced at his young Padawan, “don’t worry Anakin. Everything will go according to plan.”

They made their way further into the compound. They kept to the shadows, concealing themselves every time someone walked by. There were obviously not very many people in the facility save for Caros and his hired mercenaries, but they were still careful.

A few minutes later, they came across a durasteel doorway as they both came to a halt, cautiously looking around for any sign of Caros of his mercenaries. When they found none, Kenobi ushered Anakin through the door. He was about to walk through it when the durasteel plating came down suddenly and without warning, separating the two of them as Anakin cursed before igniting his lightsaber.

“Anakin? Anakin?”

“I’m here!” yelled Anakin. “I’m gonna cut through it.”

He took his blue saber and plunged it into the metal as he began to cut through it. Distantly, he could hear footsteps echoing in the corridors as he tried to work fast, but even then it was hard work cutting through durasteel.

Four men burst into the room, their blaster rifles pointed at him as they began to shoot. Anakin ducked as he drew his lightsaber into a defensive position, easily deflecting the bolts as they shot at him. Because of the Force dampeners that surrounded the facility, Anakin was unable to use to Force to subdue them as they continued to fire at him.

“Anakin!” yelled Kenobi from the other side as his lightsaber plunged into the empty spot where Anakin’s used to be. “Hold on. I’m coming!”

“You better hurry up then!” yelled Anakin. “I don’t know how much longer I can hold them!”

Pain erupted in his shoulder as he nearly dropped his saber in surprise. He had missed one.

“Master!” he yelled as he continued to deflect the bolts, seething as the very motion brought him white, hot pain. He was starting to buckle under the pressure as he gritted his teeth. Searing pain shot through his leg as he was hit by a second blaster bolt, forcing him to his knees. His saber falling to the ground as it made a distinct clanging sound.

It was the last sound Anakin heard before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell unconscious.

**V**

Anakin awoke to unpleasant pain. His body ached and he could feel a hot, searing pain emanating from his shoulder and thigh as his stomach rolled. He felt nauseous as he let out a small groan, his eyes fluttering open as he was bombarded by a bright light, forcing him to close them as his head throbbed.

“Master?” his throat felt dryer than the rolling dunes of Tatooine as he tried to shield his eyes from the light, only to discover that his arms were firmly restrained at his sides. So were his legs and chest.

His eyes shot open as the memory of being captured by Caros came flooding back.

“Ah, there you are,” came an unfamiliar voice, somewhere to his left. “I was beginning to worry that I might’ve gone overboard with the sedative.”

“Where am I? Who are you?” demanded Anakin as he began to strain against the metal restraints. 

“Calm down, boy,” said the man as his face appeared in Anakin’s line of view, “you’re in my lab. That is all you need to know.”

“What did you do to my Master?” hissed Anakin as he searched around the room frantically for Kenobi. Because of the Force inhibitors on his wrist and around the facility, Anakin could no longer feel the Force nor could he access it. He had no idea where his Master was or what had happened to him and he was powerless to escape.

Caros ignored him as he turned around and occupied himself with something as Anakin tried to see what he was doing, his head only able to lift a few inches off the ground before the pain in his shoulder traveled up to his neck, forcing him to rest his head back against the table he was strapped to with an audible groan. He looked around at his surroundings, mentally assessing his situation. He was in some sort of laboratory, the sterile smell of chemicals assaulting his nose. Overhead, there appeared to be a surgical lamp beaming down on him.

A surge of panic coursed through Anakin as he once again struggled against the restraints, desperate to escape. But no matter what he did, nothing could budge the metal cuffs that kept him prisoner.

“Answer me!” yelled Anakin as Caros began to hum. He wheeled a cart full of syringed and medical equipment over to Anakin’s side before stuffing a gag over Anakin’s mouth as the Padawan protested vehemently against it, his words becoming garbled and intelligible.

“Now we don’t need any of that here,” said Caros sternly. “We wouldn’t want to distract me from my work, now would you boy?”

Anakin cursed at the old man, but his words went unheard as Caros began to hum. Instead, Anakin resorted to glaring, but it didn’t seem to do him any good. He watched as Caros picked up a holo-recorder and began talking into it.

“Patient 8712 appears to be young and in good health. Human male approximately 15-18 years of age. He is Force-sensitive, although his connection to the Force has been disrupted thanks to my Force inhibitors,” said Caros before adding; “I am certain he will make an excellent host.”

Anakin’s eyes widened as he began to thrash wildly in his cuffs, screaming against the gag in his mouth to be let go. Caros didn’t seem perturbed by the young boy’s unwillingness to be used as a science experiment as he injected the young Jedi with another sedative.

Anakin tried to fight the drug as it began its journey through his body, trying his hardest to keep his eyes open and mind alert as he suddenly felt weighed down and groggy. But the more he tried to stay awake the more tired he became as his eyelids began to flutter, his body going slack.

Much to Anakin’s horror, the last thing he saw before going under was Caros’s smiling face.

**V**

When he awoke, he felt weighed down and heavy. At first, he thought he was back at the Temple curled up in his own bed, but reality soon set in as he remembered. He was still restrained to the table and his shoulder and thigh still hurt, but the pain had lessened considerably thanks to the bacta wraps his captor had placed on his wounds. However, it wasn’t his shoulder or thigh that worried Anakin as a new pain blossomed in his abdomen as he groaned. He was still gagged.

“You’re awake!” said Caros, his voice cheery and innocent, as if he were bidding Anakin good morning. “How do you feel?”

Anakin blinked before his eyes settled on Caros. He mustered up as much of a glare as he could in his weakened state, his hatred for the scientist growing by the second. If Caros noticed Anakin’s obvious dislike for him, he clearly wasn’t fazed by it as he began to stroke the boy’s bare belly, almost lovingly much to Anakin’s disgust. He hated the feeling of Caros’s hands on him, violating him and encroaching on his personal space.

“There, there,” he said, “no need to be so grumpy young man. I did what had to be done. I’m sure you’ll understand when you see for yourself the wonderful things you and I have accomplished here today.”

Anakin stared up at Caros blankly, waiting for him to elaborate as the old man turned away from him and began to pack up his medical equipment.

“You’re probably a little bit sore from the operation. I would give you something to help ease the pain, but I’m afraid it would only interfere with my experiment,” he said before adding; “as things progress, you may feel some discomfort. The rate of growth is rather— _exponential,_ especially for this particular species. Again, do not be alarmed. Relax and try to remain calm as best as you can. It will go a long way to your own comfort, I promise.”

 _Rate of growth?! What in Siths hells was he talking about?_ Thought Anakin as Caros finished packing up his medical equipment before exiting the room, leaving the young boy all to himself.

He looked up at the ceiling and hoped that Kenobi was somewhere nearby

**V**

A few hours later, Anakin began to grow uncomfortable as pressure began to build in his abdomen steadily. On top of the uncomfortable sensation in his belly, Anakin also felt the urge to pee as he rocked his hips in an attempt to alleviate the pain.

Caros had yet to return, but judging from the cameras pointed at him he could only guess that the scientist was happy to watch him from a distance as whatever he did to Anakin progressed. As to what that experiment was, Anakin was still in the dark as his stomach began to gurgle.

He could feel the pressure building and with it pain as he tried to blink through the sudden waves of hot, searing spasms that coursed through his abdomen. The pressure by then was becoming unbearable as Anakin moaned, sweat beginning to form at his temple. The door opened and Caros strolled in as he made his way over to Anakin’s side, eyes wide with excitement.

“It’s beginning,” he said, marveling at whatever it was that was causing Anakin's discomfort . Anakin tried to lift his head to look at his abdomen, a sudden wave of pain prevented him from doing so as he gasped, his head falling back against the hard table.

Caros reached out and yanked the gag out of the young boy’s mouth as Anakin sucked in a ragged breath, happy to be able to use his mouth again.

“W—What did you do to me?” he panted in between breaths, straining and arching against the restraints. His belly felt tight and rigid like a rubber band stretched too tight just waiting to snap at any moment

Caros smiled as he rested his hand on Anakin’s tight, flat stomach, “you’ll see.”

Anakin whimpered as the pressure just kept building, his muscle seizing and contracting as Caros stroked his belly. Anakin arched his back as one last, gut-wrenching spasm coursed through his body. Anakin felt weightless as he fell back against the table, moaning as a strange sensation settled in the pit of his belly that only seemed to worsen with every breath that he took.

He lifted up his head and looked down at his belly only to see it growing before his very eyes, pushing further and further up with every breath of air. Anakin yelped as he tried to push himself away from it as if he could escape the growing orb somehow. He watched in horror as it continued to grow, pressing up against Caros’s hand as it grew into a round dome that jutted out between Anakin’s aching hips.

It finally came to a stop as Anakin’s head fell back, breathless. His eyes were wide with shock and terror as his body continued to pulse, his belly full and heavy as the weight rested on his too narrow hips. Tears poured down his cheeks as he tried not to sob.

“Marvelous,” said Caros as he patted the domed expanse, “absolutely spectacular!”

Chin quivering, “why are you doing this to me?”

“Why science of course!” replied Caros animatedly, “what better reason is there?”

“Wha— what it is?” Anakin dared to ask as his stomach gurgled, clearly unhappy with its sudden growth spurt.

“It’s a baby!” replied Caros, offended that Anakin didn’t know. “Are you stupid? What else could it be? Or I guess I should say _babies..."_

“No— no it can’t… I can’t be—” pleaded Anakin, desperate for it to not be true. As if sensing his thoughts, there was a squirming sensation in his belly, adding insult to injury as the inside of Anakin’s belly quivered. It felt like there were butterflies fluttering around in there, literally.

The alarm in the room went off as a computerized voice sounded overhead somewhere.“Security Breach. Intruder alert sector three.”

Caros let out a string of curses as Anakin felt a flood of relief wash over him. He knew what the security breach was and he knew that Kenobi was nearby. They always had a plan put in place for if one of them were to ever be captured by the enemy. Create a diversion and move in while the enemy is distracted. That security breach was the diversion.

“Hold on,” said Caros as he shoved the gag back into Anakin’s mouth, “I have to take care of this. I’ll be back soon, hopefully. Just— relax and get comfortable. The next one will be a big one.”

With that, he exited the room, leaving Anakin to himself. He knew Kenobi would act quickly and that he would not allow himself to be taken as a science experiment like Anakin had. He mentally cursed himself out for being so foolish and allowing himself to be overtaken as he had been. It, of course, hadn’t helped that there were Force dampeners all around the compound.

A few minutes passed as the kriffing thing continued to squirm around in his belly, making itself right at home in his body as if it wasn't some abomination that was forced onto him. Anakin gritted his teeth as he rocked his hips, trying to think about the strange sensation too much.

Force, Kenobi better hurry up. Anakin didn’t think he could take much more of this, Caros’s words echoing in his mind.

_The next one will be a big one._

There wasn’t going to be a next one if Anakin had anything to say about it.

The door opened as someone entered the room. Anakin craned his neck to look at the person, silently praying to whatever deity that was listening that it wasn’t Caros.

 _“Anakin,”_ hissed Obi-Wan as Anakin sighed in relief.

“Master!” he said in relief as soon as Obi-Wan made his way over to him and yanked the gag out, gaze traveling over Anakin’s sweaty and prone form as he assessed the damage. Anakin could feel his cheeks flush in embarrassment as his Master’s eyes came to rest on his swollen belly.

“What did he do to you?” asked Obi-Wan, horrified as tears began to spill down Anakin’s face.

“He— he put something in me,” hiccupped Anakin. “He said it was a— that it—”

Kenobi yanked the straps off, “you can tell me later. Right now, we need to focus on getting out of here.”

Anakin nodded as he struggled into a sitting position, Obi-Wan having to help him up and off the table as Anakin began to sway. His center of gravity was off balance and he was weak and tired, his energy sapped from growing.

“I don’t feel so good,” muttered Anakin as Kenobi helped him put his clothes back on. He winced as he put his utility belt on, the strap digging into his flesh as he struggled to clip it together. “I think I’m gonna—”

He bent over and puked. Everything that had been in his stomach prior, which hadn’t amounted to much, now rested on the floor as Anakin wiped his mouth. He decided to forego the utility belt altogether as he grabbed his lightsaber from it before discarding it on the floor

“Come on,” said Kenobi as he grabbed Anakin’s elbow and began to lead him out of the room as fast as he could, “we need to get out of here.”

“What about Caros?” asked Anakin, struggling to keep up with Obi-Wan as he let out a few shaky breaths. He felt tired and weighed down, but Kenobi kept him on his feet as they fled down the corridor.

As if sensing that they were talking about him, Caros rounded the corner in front of them with a small army of hired men, their rifles pointed at the two of them as Caros stepped forward.

“I’m sorry gentlemen, but I cannot allow you to leave. You have something that belongs to me,” he said he looked at Anakin, an evil glint in his eyes.

Kenobi pulled Anakin behind him, shielding his Padawan’s body protectively from the man as he ignited his lightsaber. “Oh, I don’t think so.”

“You saw the boy’s condition,” said Caros before adding; “he can’t leave here. He needs medical assistance.”

“You’re right. He does,” replied Obi-Wan. “Which is why you’re going to step out of the way so that we can head back to Coruscant where he can get proper medical care.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” replied Caros. “You see, I’ve spent my whole career leading up to this point. Those things growing in his belly? They're only going to get bigger and bigger until they're ready to be born and I’m the only one equipped to see them safely out.”

If Kenobi was at all fazed, he didn’t show it, “and I suppose that means I should leave him behind, right?”

“You’re catching on,” replied Caros with a grin. “The boy belongs to me now. I won’t let you take what’s mine.”

“Then you’ll have the fight of your life,” said Kenobi as the armed guards stepped forward and began firing on them. He raised his lightsaber and easily deflected them as Anakin pulled out his own lightsaber and ignited it, the glow casting a blue shadow across the room. They fought side by side, pushing back against Caros and his men until they managed to escape, Caros’s angry voice yelling at his men as they fled down the corridor.

“Find them!” he screamed. “I want him alive! You hear me?”

Kenobi and Anakin ran out of the compound and towards their ship, Anakin panting heavily as he tried to keep pace with his Master. Once they reached the ship, they wasted no time in plotting their destination and taking off, the planet disappearing beneath them as blue skies gave way to the black void of space.

Before Anakin knew it, they were in hyperdrive as he allowed himself to plop down into the nearest chair, hand on his stomach as he began to rub circles into the stretched skin, trying to soothe the pain as best he could.

“We have to go back,” muttered Anakin under his breath, “Caros—”

“We need to get back to the Temple,” said Kenobi as he glanced down at Anakin’s distended belly, which was safely concealed under his robes. “We need to get whatever that is out.”

“But Master—!” Anakin began to protest but stopped short as his eyes widened, his hands grasping his belly as he began to whisper under his breath.

_“No, no, no.”_

“Anakin?”

“This isn’t happening—!” cried Anakin in pain as his face went white. “Not again!”

Kenobi watched in silent and confused horror as Anakin looked down at his belly just in time to see it start growing before their very eyes. Surging forward inch by inch, Anakin’s hands stayed on his expanding dome as he desperately tried to stop the sudden growth, as if he could push it all back in with his bare hands. And judging from the look on Anakin’s face, he probably wished that he could.

He looked up at Kenobi with an expression that made Obi-Wan’s heart split in two as he gave him a helpless look. He was silently pleading for Obi-Wan to help him, but Kenobi was helpless to do anything as he watched his Padawan balloon out in front of him.

“Force almighty,” whispered Kenobi, eyes wide as his belly quivered before surging forward yet again, picking up speed as Anakin yelped in both surprise and pain. Finally, it began to slow down a few moments later, gradually slowing down until it came to a stop.

Anakin fell back against his seat, panting heavily as he tried to regain his breath. His belly sat proudly on his narrow frame, making him look as though he had swallowed a ball. His stomach gurgled as something pushed out against the fleshy confines of its prison before sinking down again.

 _“Obi-Wan,”_ whispered Anakin, eyes closed as even more tears ran down his cheek. _“What’s happening to me?”_

“I don’t know,” said Obi-Wan, shaking his head truthfully. “But one thing is for certain. We need to get back to the Temple. Now.”

**V**


	2. The Temple

Getting Anakin into bed was easier said than done as the Jedi Master tried to help the poor boy out of his seat only have to his hand swatted away by a fiercely independent Anakin, a look of determination crossing his exhausted features as he grabbed onto the armrests and forced himself up. He swayed as the new weight around his middle pulled him forward, but Kenobi’s hand on his shoulder steadied him.

“You good?” asked Obi-Wan, softly as Anakin cleared his throat and nodded. He looked extremely uncomfortable standing there in his now too small robes, his balance completely off.

“Yeah,” replied Anakin, distantly before adding, “tired.”

“I’ll bet,” replied Obi-Wan. “Why don’t you lay down and get some rest.”

Usually, Anakin would’ve protested at being babied, but the boy offered no form of argument as he gave a small, weak nod of agreement. Obi-Wan could see the exhaustion in his Padawan’s as well as through the Force. Whatever was growing in his belly seemed to be sapping all of the energy out of him.

Wrapping his arms him, Obi-Wan guided him through the bowels of the ship towards where the sleeping mats were. Anakin awkwardly leaned his bulky weight against Obi-Wan, too tired to be able to keep himself upright as he depended on his Master’s support. Obi-Wan held onto him tightly, trying not to look at the obvious bulge that strained against Anakin’s dark robes. He noted that if Anakin were to grow any larger, which he probably would, that he would in need of a new pair of robes. Unfortunately, none of the robes they had on the ship would be large enough at that point, which meant that Anakin would have to wait until they reached the Temple.

He helped Anakin onto the mat, which creaked under Anakin’s added weight as he groaned in pain, eyes closing as he inhaled deeply. Obi-Wan watched as Anakin rubbed his lower back, which was now slightly curved inward to account of the new weight centered on his front, making his condition even more pronounced.

“Do you need anything?” asked Obi-Wan as Anakin considered his words.

“Another pillow would be great,” replied Anakin as Obi-Wan nodded.

He grabbed the pillow off of his own cot and placed it behind Anakin, providing a little bit of support so that Anakin wasn’t laying entirely on his back as he helped the young boy lay down. As soon as he was down, his eyelids began to flutter as Kenobi watched him drift into a much-needed slumber.

Obi-Wan watched him for a few moments before using the Force to check Anakin over. His presence was still bright as ever, but he could sense that there was new life inside of him, separate from his own essence. Whatever was inside of Anakin, they were not a part of him, which was a relief as Obi-Wan’s eyes drifted to down to Anakin’s domed belly as something pressed outward, creating strange shapes that could be seen through the fabric while Anakin slept unaware.

Sighing, Obi-Wan rose from his seat and exited the room, leaving Anakin to his sleep while he tried to figure out his next course of action.

**V**

Anakin slept almost the entire journey back to Coruscant, not that Kenobi could blame him. Anakin himself was still a growing teenager, in the middle of another growth spurt that would probably see him taller than Obi-Wan by the time it was done, not to mention his _other_ more rapid growth that now sat low and firm on his too narrow hips. It was no wonder that the poor boy needed his sleep, and Kenobi intended to leave him to it as he rolled out a meditation mat and sat down on it, trying to clear his mind as he made sure to keep an eye on the sleeping boy.

He had already told the Council of their _growing_ situation and while they had simply told Obi-Wan to keep them informed, he knew that not even they were sure what to make of the issue. But everyone was in agreement that Anakin needed medical attention and fast.

He was only a few minutes into his meditation when Anakin began to stir, his eyes blinking open before the weight pressing down on him reminded him of what had transpired earlier. He shut his eyes for a few moments before opening them again as if he was willing himself out of a waking nightmare, not that it would do him any good.

His stomach growled as he sighed, hunger on the forefront of his mind as he pushed himself up and swung his legs over the side of his bed before hoisting himself up, his hand going to his belly as he steadied himself before removing his offending hand, loathing the way that his once solid and toned abdomen felt underneath his fingers. Carefully, he made his way into the pantry and helped himself to a set of ration bars, his hunger gnawing at him as his stomach demanded to be fed. He ate a few before downing it with a glass of water just as Kenobi walked in, surprised to see Anakin awake and alert for the first time since leaving the planet.

“You’re awake,” he said before adding; “I was beginning to think you were in a coma.”

“Why?” asked Anakin. “How long have I been asleep?”

“Almost ten hours now,” replied Obi-Wan as Anakin’s eyes widened. No wonder he was starving. “You must’ve been exhausted, understandably so.”

“Oh,” said Anakin as he chewed a little bit more on his ration bar, cheeks flushing in embarrassment. “Sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize,” replied Kenobi.

“How far are we away from Coruscant?”

“A little under an hour,” said Kenobi as he lowered himself into the seat opposite of Anakin, his eyes traveling over Anakin worriedly. “How do you feel?”

“Tired, a bit achy,” replied Anakin as he shifted his weight to alleviate the burning sensation in his hips from carrying his new weight. “Confused.”

Kenobi nodded in understanding as Anakin ate another ration bar before downing it with some more water, his hunger refusing to be sated as his stomach growled for more, much to his embarrassment. Obi-Wan seemed to notice this as he grabbed the next box of the rations and handed them over to Anakin, an apologetic look on his face.

“Once we get back to the Temple, we can see about getting you some proper food. I’m sure those rations don’t taste the best.”

Anakin shrugged, “they don’t, but I’m so hungry I could care less.”

Obi-Wan watched silently as Anakin wolfed down another bar, “once we get back to the Temple, you’ll need to see one of the healers. I’m hoping they’ll be able to shed some light on what’s going on here.”

Anakin nodded, clearly not in the mood to discuss this any further as he said nothing more. Obi-Wan, on the other hand, was not finished.

“Did Caros say anything to you about the experiment?” he probed. “Did he mention anything about what he did to you or what he planned to do?”

Anakin shifted uncomfortably in his seat, squirming under Obi-Wan’s questioning as he shook his head, “he wouldn’t tell me anything. Only that I was— that I was—”

He seemed unable to articulate the word _pregnant_ verbally, but Obi-Wan understood what he was trying to say as he stroked his beard thoughtfully. “While we were in the corridor, he kept mentioning them. I assume he was referring to whatever he put inside of you.”

“He told me that there were _babies,_ ” whispered Anakin, plural. So, there was more than one life inside of Anakin, but the amount remained unknown and there was no certain way to judge with the Force or with Anakin’s size, which had not grown any larger since earlier, giving the young Padawan a small but temporary reprieve. “Do— do you really think…?”

“I don’t know,” replied Obi-Wan truthfully. “Which is why you need to see the Temple healers as soon as possible.”

“Can they remove them?” asked Anakin, hopeful that his strange predicament might be over sooner rather than later.

“That’s what I’m hoping,” replied Obi-Wan as Anakin nodded. It was apparent that they were both in agreement. The sooner they were removed, the better. It was becoming readily apparent that Anakin was not ready to handle the strain this was putting on his ill-equipped body, physically or emotionally. It would only be the ethical choice at that point to operate and return things to the way they once were.

Anakin cleared his throat as he shoved the rest of the rations away from him, already having had his fill, “I’m going to lay down some more. My back is really starting to hurt.”

“Okay,” said Obi-Wan as he watched Anakin spread his legs and lean forward as much as possible, hand gripping the sides of the chair as he tried to gain enough momentum to push himself up, “do you need help?”

“No,” replied Anakin sharply, “I’m fine.”

Obi-Wan watched as Anakin finally resorted to using the Force to pull himself up, his hands hovering over his belly as if he couldn’t decide whether to hold onto it or not as he steadied himself. It was awkward to watch and Obi-Wan could only imagine the humiliation Anakin must’ve been feeling about the entire situation, but he didn’t say anything as he stalked out of the room.

Distraught, Obi-Wan put his head between his hands, knowing that things would only get worse from here on out.

**V**

An hour later, they arrived back at the Temple as Obi-Wan and Anakin made their way down the ramp, the younger of the two wrapped tightly in his brown cloak as he did his best to shield his bump from other Jedi as they made their way to the Hall of Healing where Master Ona was already waiting for them.

“Master Kenobi,” she greeted before her four eyes drifted over to Anakin, gaze traveling over his form, “Padawan Skywalker, welcome. Please, take a seat.”

She motioned toward the exam table expectantly as Anakin looked around the large room nervously. Although they were the only ones in there, it was very possible for someone to walk in and see what was going on, and even though the Temple wasn’t that small, word tended to travel fast.

As if sensing his thoughts, Master Ona walked over to the door and locked it before pulling the curtain closed so as to give them some much-needed privacy before turning back to the two of them, motioning for Anakin to take a seat once more. And so, he did.

“Please remove your robes and lay back,” she instructed Anakin as Obi-Wan stepped back, getting ready to leave so that Anakin could have some much-needed privacy. He turned to leave, but Anakin’s voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

“Master?” he asked his voice small and pleading.

“Yes, Anakin?” asked Obi-Wan as he looked at his young Padawan, who looked so very small sitting there on the exam table. He didn’t look like a teenager sitting there but rather a small, frightened boy. The same one he had met on Tatooine all those years ago, except somehow even more vulnerable.

“Stay?” he asked as Obi-Wan nodded. There was no way that he was going to say no to Anakin, not now.

“Of course,” replied Obi-Wan as he made his back over to Anakin’s side, watching as he hesitantly took the cloak off before shrugging his robes off until he was left in nothing more than his ill-fitted pants, his belly bare for all to see as he laid down on the table, eyes fixating on the ceiling.

Master Ona put on a pair of medical gloves before she began to gently prod at the taut skin. “How long ago did this happen?”

“About twelve hours ago,” said Kenobi as she frowned.

“That is some considerable growth,” she said, more to herself than anything.

“It seems to be rather— _sudden,_ ” said Kenobi as Anakin clenched his jaw. “It comes in phases where it will grow very rapidly and then stop before growing again.”

She visibly frowned before turning her attention to Anakin, who refused to meet their eyes, “and how many times has this happened, Padawan Skywalker?”

He gritted his teeth, “two.”

She nodded as he began to prod against his belly button, which was still surprisingly flat. The skin rippled as Anakin’s belly lurched, something moving inside as it leapt up into Ona’s hand before sinking back down into its original shape again, much to Ona’s curiosity and Anakin’s horror.

“Well, there is definitely something in there,” said Ona as she pulled out a medical scanner. “Let’s go ahead and have a look, shall we?”

She ran the scanner down the length and width of the domed expanse, her eyebrows furrowed and her lips pursed as Anakin tightened his grip on Obi-Wan’s hand. There were a few moments of silence before Ona spoke.

“There appears to be three separate life forms that I’m picking up on,” she said as she showed them both the results. “You’ll be glad to know that they’re not human.”

Anakin frowned, “why would I be glad to hear that?”

“Because it means you share no biological connection to them,” she replied. “You’re not their father or their mother. You’re simply the host, or carrier if you will.”

“Are you sure?” asked Obi-Wan as she nodded.

“Positive,” she replied before adding; “as to what species they belong too, that remains unknown. I’ve never heard of a species growing this large in so little time when it comes to gestation. I may have to do some further research before we proceed with any sort of operation or treatment.”

“And how long will that take?” asked Anakin.

“A few days, maybe. There are literally millions of alien species throughout the galaxy. Sorting through them and finding out their reproductive habits isn’t going to be an easy task.”

“Days?!” asked Anakin, nearly on the verge of hysteria. “No, no, no. You don’t understand, Master. You have to get them out of me before they grow any larger—”

As if sensing Anakin’s distress at growing any larger, his belly decided to do just that as it gurgled before it began to quiver once again. Anakin groaned as sudden spasms coursed through his body before once again, he was growing. His belly rose higher and higher into the air as both Ona and Obi-Wan watched. This growth spurt was not as large as the other ones as Anakin’s belly grew a solid two inches, his belly button beginning to pop out against the modest-sized mound. And then just as quickly as it had begun, it ended, leaving Anakin breathless once again.

“You weren’t joking when you said the growth was exponential,” said Ona as she picked her jaw up off the floor, prodding the new growth as Anakin lifted his hips off the exam table, more uncomfortable than ever. “Did that hurt?”

Anakin nodded through unshed tears as she began to press around his hips, gritting his teeth as she prodded the tender and throbbing area that had only worsened with that last growth spurt. The mound sat very low on his hips, almost as if it was trapped there by his narrow frame and judging by the pained expression on his Padawan’s face, that was probably the case.

“Do feel pressure in your pelvic region?” asked Ona as Anakin nodded.

“Yeah,” he said through gritted teeth. “Hurts.”

“That’s to be expected,” replied Master Ona. “Your hips are too narrow to accommodate the rapid growth. During pregnancy, the body will tell the hips to widen to accommodate the fetus, but your body can’t do that.”

“Is that going to be an issue?” asked Obi-Wan as he glanced at Anakin worriedly.

“It’s hard to tell right now,” she replied as she gave Anakin an uneasy glance. “I’ve never seen anything like this in my entire life. Everything is speculative.”

“But I’ll be fine, right?” asked Anakin as he gave Obi-Wan a scared look. “You’ll take them out once you know more and everything will go back to normal.”

“That— that is the goal, yes,” said Ona as she wrung her hands, “but you have to understand, Padawan Skywalker that there is nothing normal about this. The fetuses have attached themselves to your organs and blood supply to survive. Removing them may prove to be a difficult task, one that will take time and research. By then, at this rate of growth…”

Anakin’s eyes widened as Obi-Wan stepped in, “let's try not to get ahead of ourselves here, shall we? Let’s discuss what we know and go from there. You were saying that Anakin’s hips were too narrow. What does that mean?”

“I’m worried about the rate of growth and how it will affect Padawan Skywalker. The bigger he gets, the more difficulty he will have walking,” she said before adding; “not to mention that his ribcage will also need to expand as the size of the fetuses begin to swell upwards into his diaphragm. You may not be experiencing it now, but breathing will become difficult as things progress. As for how long this will last, I have no idea. Nor do I have any idea how large the fetuses will become either or much strain they will put on his body.”

“Is there any way to slow it down?” asked Obi-Wan as she shook her head.

“None that I’m aware of.”

“Great,” said Anakin sarcastically. “So, the only thing I can do is ride this out and hope I don’t die.”

His voice was scathing as he seethed with anger that was beginning to boil to the surface. Obi-Wan watched as his Padawan balled up his fist, the medical equipment around them beginning to rise up into the air as he struggled to get control of his emotions.

“Anakin, you need to calm down,” said Obi-Wan, his voice coaxing. “No one said anything about dying.”

“Master Kenobi is right,” said Ona in agreement. “This experience may prove to be uncomfortable, but I do not believe it will be fatal for you.”

“You don’t know that!” cried Anakin. “I want them out! I can’t— I can’t—”

He struggled on the table as he tried to push himself up, only to fail miserably as he plopped back down onto his back, much to his frustration and anger as both Ona and Obi-Wan reached out to help him.

“Don’t touch me!” yelled Anakin as he shook their hands off of him. “Get away from me!”

“Please refrain from yelling, Padawan Skywalker,” replied Ona sternly. “Screaming won’t change anything. You need to calm down.”

“I can’t just calm down. Look at me!” wailed Anakin. “I look like a freak!”

“You do not look like a freak,” said Obi-Wan firmly, although his words didn’t seem to hold up as Anakin’s belly rippled, vivid movement visible from the outside as the creatures inside of him squirmed around in their fleshy prison, making Anakin’s belly look strange.

Tears spilled down his cheeks. “Master, I _can’t_ do this.”

“Yes, yes you can, and you will,” replied Obi-Wan as he rubbed Anakin’s shoulder in a comforting manner. “You’re going to get through this and once this all goes away, we’re going to hunt Caros down and arrest him. I won’t let him get away this, Anakin.”

Anakin nodded as he furiously wiped his tears away. Obi-Wan could see that he was trying to be brave, which in of itself was a very courageous thing to do considering the situation. If it had been him in Anakin’s position, he didn’t know if he would have any courage at all.

“Okay,” he said after a few moments, his voice much calmer than before as he tried to reassure himself, “I can do this. I can get through this.”

“Yeah?”

Anakin pursed his lips and nodded. It was a step in the right direction.

**V**

“Disturbing this is,” said Yoda as soon as Obi-Wan was done relaying the story to them. “Clouded young Skywalker’s future is.”

“Where is Padawan Skywalker now?” asked Master Windu as he leaned forward in his seat, concern for the young boy in usual stony countenance.

“He’s in his room resting,” replied Obi-Wan before adding; “this has taken a lot out of him, physically and emotionally.”

“I assume that Master Ona and the rest of the healers are searching for a way to remove the creatures, correct?” asked Master Plo-Koon as Obi-Wan nodded.

“They are,” he confirmed before adding; “but Master Ona has her reservations. The creatures have attached themselves to Anakin’s abdominal wall as well as all of his major bodily systems so as to sustain themselves. Removing them will be very difficult.”

“So, what does that mean?” asked Master Billaba.

“She would like to do more research on the subject,” he replied. “There is much that we do not know and unfortunately, I fear that Caros may be the only one who is the most knowledgeable—”

“And do we know where Caros is currently?” asked Mace as Obi-Wan shook his head.

“Find him, we must,” said Yoda as he tapped his cane on the floor. “Put an end to this, we must. For young Skywalker’s sake.”

Obi-Wan nodded in agreement, “I will go and—”

“Not you,” replied Yoda as he shook his head, “at your Padawan’s side, you should stay.”

“But Master Yoda I couldn’t possibly—” began Obi-Wan as Master Windu stood up.

“Master Yoda is right, Master Kenobi,” he said before adding; “and that is why I am volunteering in your stead. Caros must be apprehended.”

Yoda nodded in agreement, “go you shall, Master Windu. Return to your Padawan, you should Obi-Wan. Sense your worry for him, I do.”

Obi-Wan wanted to argue further. He wanted to be the one to arrest Caros, but at the same time he wanted to stay with Anakin and make sure his Padawan would be alright. It was the promise he had made to Anakin’s mother, a woman whom he had never even met. He had promised her that he would look after her son and he was going to do just that.

“I will leave immediately,” said Windu. “Hopefully I will be back soon.”

"Thank you, Master Windu. May the Force be with you," said Ob-Wan as Windu bowed his head.

"Hmmm," said Yoda as he tapped his cane on the floor thoughtfully, "and may it be with young Skywalker as well. Need it, he will."

**V**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo I apologize for the long wait. I'm on Christmas break and I'm trying to make the most of it before I start my next set of classes. I was also trying to figure out a rough draft for this story. I originally planned on only three chapters but I don't think that's going to be enough. I think five chapters will hopefully be enough to tell this story.
> 
> ALSO
> 
> Thank you all for your support! As it's been pointed out to me that there are not enough mpreg stories about Anakin and I wholeheartedly agree, which is why I wrote this story. I love Anakin mpreg stories but they seem to be rare and few apart. Either that or I've read them all lol :D


	3. The Padawan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings:
> 
> Self-harm and body dysmorphia

Anakin tossed and turned in his bed as he tried to find a comfortable position to sleep in. The added weight on his frame made moving very difficult much less sleeping, which was beginning to leave Anakin frustrated. He found that sleeping on his belly was no longer an option and if he slept on his back he felt lightheaded, forcing him to have to sleep on his side. Even then, the movement in his belly made him uncomfortable and when he moved it only seemed to get worse.

And now he had to pee.

_Again._

He pushed himself up and stared out at the busy traffic outside of his room. Carefully, he got out of bed and padded towards the refresher where he relived his aching bladder before coming to stand in front of the mirror, jarred by what he saw. He didn’t even recognize himself anymore, the person staring back at him a complete stranger.

Hesitantly, he lifted up his tunic to stare at the red, angry skin. Master Ona had given him some strange smelling ointment to help heal the stretch marks, but even then, it did little to soothe the itch just under the skin.

The creatures moved as he heaved out of half-hearted sob, hands digging into the countertop as he leaned forward. He could feel pressure behind his navel from the movement, the sensation nauseating as the kicks and jabs became stronger. He placed a tentative hand on the bulge, the skin taut beneath his fingers as he tried to soothe the creatures, not that it did any good. He could feel them moving as a frightening image of worms burrowing under the skin came to mind. Insects and critters wiggling their way into his skin, unwanted and unwelcome.

Without even thinking, his fingernails dug into the skin. The thought of cutting into his own flesh to remove the creatures a vivid and horrifying thought, and yet all too enticing at the same time. He had the overwhelming desire to crawl out of his own body and leave it all behind. As the creatures moved, he felt more and more like a prisoner in his own body.

_Is this what his own mother felt like while carrying him? Had he been unwelcome?_

The thought invaded his mind as tears pooled at the corners of his eyes. He pulled his hand away from the red, angry marks left behind by his fingernails as he rested both of his hands on the edge of the sink and closed his eyes as he tried to ignore the way his belly pressed into the countertop.

He wiped away the tears before making his way back to bed, hoping that he would find some semblance of comfort in the sheets of his bed. Anymore, exhaustion seemed to his guiding force as he wrapped himself up in the sheets before finally succumbing to exhaustion.

**V**

When he awoke some hours later, it was still dark out. The Coruscanti sun having yet to rise as he pushed himself out of bed. His stomach felt painfully empty as it let out a low rumble, signaling his need for food as he padded out of his room and into the joint living quarters where he found Obi-Wan already preparing for the day, his face clean-shaven and hair still wet from the shower as he slipped his boots on.

“What are you doing?”

He glanced up at Anakin in surprise, his hand hovering over his other shoe as he gave the young Padawan a sympathetic look, which made Anakin want to roll his eyes.

“Master Yoda has called a Council meeting,” he said, his tone purposefully bland. “There are important matters to discuss.”

“It’s about me, isn’t it?” asked Anakin as Obi-Wan nodded.

“Master Windu left for Banuatu yesterday,” he said before adding; “he volunteered to be the one to apprehend Caros.”

This was news to Anakin, but he remained silent as Obi-Wan finished putting his other shoe on. He rose from his seat and made his way over to the kitchen area and began to prepare their morning meal while Anakin trudged after him, his eyes lingering on his Master as he worked. Usually, it was his job to prepare breakfast, but Obi-Wan seemed to have no problem taking up the responsibility himself.

“Why didn’t you go with him?”

“Master Yoda thought it would be best if I stayed here,” said Obi-Wan as he began to butter the toast.

“Why? So you could babysit me?” grumbled Anakin, his lips tugging downwards into a frown.

Obi-Wan eyed the youth for a few moments before shaking his head, “I thought you would be happy that I decided to stay here with you.”

Anakin rolled his eyes, “I’m not a child. I don’t need to be supervised.”

“I never said you were,” replied Obi-Wan, his demeanor calm as he tried to placate the irritated Padawan, “but in your current condition—”

Anakin’s jaw clenched tightly as he glowered at his Master. “I’m not an invalid.”

Kenobi sighed as he rubbed his temple, clearly having trouble conveying his thoughts to the young Padawan. But then again, it had always been a struggle with Anakin. “Look, I know you’re not. We all know you’re not. We’re just trying to help you out as much as we can here until the situation can be resolved.”

“And when will that be?” asked Anakin, his voice scathing. “How long do I have to walk around looking like a mutated freak before somebody does something about it?”

“Anakin we’ve already talked about this,” said Obi-Wan, rather annoyed. Still, he did his best to remain as calm and collected as he possibly could. “You do not look a freak. And you know what Master Ona said. She needs more information before she can start the procedure.”

Anakin grumbled under his breath as Obi-Wan resumed buttering the bread, glad that his Padawan had finally stopped arguing with him. He knew Anakin just needed to vent his frustrations out, but Kenobi wasn’t going to allow the boy to wallow in self-hatred.

“This will be over soon,” he said, reassuringly. “Master Windu will find Caros. He will not get away with this.”

“You don’t know that,” replied Anakin. “Caros could’ve already left the system by now. He could be anywhere.”

Obi-Wan stroked his beard thoughtfully, “yes, I suppose that could be so. But do you think he would willingly leave behind his life's work on Banuatu?”

Anakin shrugged, “If he was smart he would.”

“Something tells me he wouldn’t,” replied Obi-Wan before adding; “and even if he did leave, someone will find him. He is the most wanted man in the Republic at the moment.”

Anakin said nothing as Kenobi continued with the meal preparation, silence settling in between the two of them as Anakin considered his words. A few moments later, he wordlessly made his way over to the cabinet before pulling out the tea bags. He filled the kettle with water before placing it on the stove to boil, his gaze lingering on that of his Master.

“I hope you’re right.”

**V**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the uber late and short update. I've been trying to get all of my fics updated and I've been really busy at school. On another note, thank you all for the lovely comments. I'm really enjoying the feedback on this little story XD


	4. The Consequences

As the day progressed, Anakin began to feel more and more like a caged Zalorian Lion.

Obi-Wan had been gone for hours at that point and Anakin was left with nothing to do. Usually, at this time of day, the young Padawan would be attending his daily studies with his peers, but he had been officially excused from all Temple activities until the situation could be taken care of, leaving him with more time on his hands than he knew what to do with.

Obi-Wan had promised to bring by some ship schematics for him to look at— maybe a few droids to tinker with if he could manage it, but it didn’t look like Obi-Wan would be back any time soon.

Which meant that Anakin was bored out of his mind.

Shortly after Obi-Wan had departed in the morning, Anakin had tried to return to bed, but the weight in his belly prevented him from getting comfortable again much less falling asleep. In fact, Anakin was starting to find that laying down in general was getting uncomfortable— his ginormous belly making everything that much more difficult.

He sighed as he rubbed his hand over the side of his belly, his hands working into the strained muscles as he stared at the holo-news. He watched with only mild interest as the hosts talked about a debate that was taking place in the Senate over commercial hyperlanes in the Inner Rim, his hands still kneading the muscles.

The creatures inside of him shifted at the contact, bringing Anakin out of his reverie as he stared down at his impressively sized belly, marveling at the strange rippling sensation.

Gently, he pushed his robes aside as he pulled the hem of his tunic up over the mound, curiosity getting the better of him as he drowned out the rest of the holo-news, his attention now fixated on his belly as he considered rubbing the skin.

He swallowed as he found himself doing something very strange.

“Hey,” he said, talking to the creatures inside of him as their movements picked up, his internal organs taking the brunt of it as he winced. “I know it must be pretty cramped in there, but that doesn’t mean you have to take it out on me.”

He glowered at his belly, as if that would somehow get his point across. Not that it did much in the grand scheme of everything seeing as the kicks and jabs did not slow down or stop. He watched in both horror and fascination as what looked like a foot rose out of the skin like dough before sinking down again, causing him to groan in frustration as his head fell back against the mound of pillows that had been propping him up.

Anakin stared up at the ceiling in defeat, his hands finally coming to rest over the peak of his belly as he began to rub circles in the skin.

“Alright, alright,” he said before adding; “you win. Happy?”

His belly gurgled in response, the creatures happy to finally be getting attention from their host as they nudged him, gently at first but then more and more enthusiastically. Eventually, the longer he rubbed the more they calmed down, their movements finally calming down.

“I guess you guys like that, huh?” asked Anakin, to no one in particular. “All you wanted was some attention… Not that I blame you.”

His words drifted off as soon as he realized what he was doing, but even then, he did not remove his hand as he eyed his belly. He knew he shouldn’t be talking to them. They were nothing more than parasites anyways, but then he remembered the little foot— the tiny little foot that he had seen rise out of his belly…

His throat felt dryer than the deserts of Tatooine as he realized that parasites didn’t have feet.

He blinked once, then twice. The full force of the situation crashing down on him as he felt tears begin to pool in the corner of his eye.

“I’m sorry,” he choked out, his hand coming to rest protectively over the mound. He knew they weren’t his— _not really._ But he couldn’t help but feel a connection to them, a minuscule one but a connection, nonetheless. They were inside of him after all and they needed him to survive.

They were helpless without him.

“I’m sorry,” he repeated. “You didn’t deserve this either. None of us did.”

There was a gentle nudge beneath his fingers, as if to reassure him.

Still, it did nothing to quell the guilt that flooded Anakin as he realized that the creatures growing safely in his belly were innocent. They were victims too, just as much as he was.

They hadn’t asked for this. They were innocents caught up in something that shouldn’t have happened in the first place. And yet he had been hostile towards them for circumstances that were beyond any of their control.

Weakly, Anakin rolled over onto his side and wept.

**V**

“I have good news,” said Master Windu, his voice filtering through the Council Chambers as his form flickered. “Caros has not left the system. He is still on Banuatu.”

“Good news this is,” said Master Yoda, tapping his cane on the floor.

“Have you apprehended him yet?” asked Master Billaba, impatiently.

“I and my Padawan are working on it,” Windu replied.

“He has many hired men working for him,” said Obi-Wan as he began to stroke his beard, thoughtfully. “You will need to be careful.”

“Hmmm,” said Yoda, pensively. “Ruthless, Caros is. Smart as well. Heed Master Kenobi’s warning, you should.”

Master Windu nodded, his hands reflexively going behind his back as he regarded Kenobi, “that won’t be a problem. We know what to expect this time around. Also, according to our geothermal scans, the facility where Caros is holed up is near empty. Most of his mercenaries have fled already. He is alone.”

This seemed to surprise the entire Council as whispers and murmurs erupted around the room only to be silenced by the sound of Yoda’s cane tapping against the floor.

“What sort of game is Caros playing?” asked Master Mundi as Obi-Wan glanced at Yoda, hoping for some sort of wise insight into the crazed scientist's actions.

But it seemed as though Yoda was just as troubled by this news as everyone else.

“Disturbing this is,” he said before adding; “a trap, it must be.”

“That’s what I thought at first,” said Windu. “But I do not sense any danger, nor do I sense any ill feelings from Caros himself. It’s almost as if he has resigned himself to being arrested.”

“Interesting,” muttered Obi-Wan, thoughtfully.

“You should still be on guard,” added Master Koon before adding; “Master Kenobi reported that Caros employed Force inhibitors around the facility. Your feelings on this matter may not be accurate.”

“As I am aware,” replied Windu before adding; “I and my Padawan will remain diligent. Either way, Caros will be arrested for his crimes against the Republic and Padawan Skywalker.”

“Speaking of Padawan Skywalker, how is he?” asked Kit, his attention going from Windu to Kenobi.

“My Padawan is as well as can be considering the circumstances,” Kenobi responded, his thoughts drifting to the youth holed up in his quarters. “He is anxious for the creatures to be removed as soon as possible and for things to return to normal.”

“Expected, that is,” said Master Yoda. “Arrest Caros and return to Coruscant, you must. For Padawan Skywalker’s sake.”

Master Windu nodded, “it will be done, Master’s.”

With that, his form flickered out of view.

**V**

It was already well into the afternoon when Obi-Wan returned to check on Anakin.

He found the young boy asleep in bed, curled up on his side with both of his arms wrapped protectively around his middle. His face was peaceful— more peaceful than it had been in a long time as he slept unaware. Still, Obi-Wan did not fail to notice the blotchiness or the swelling around Anakin’s eyes, a sure sign that he had had been crying.

Lowering himself onto the bed, he gently nudged his Padawan awake.

Anakin blinked tiredly before glancing up at his Master, sleep still in the corner of his eyes.

“Master?” he asked, glancing from the older Jedi to the solar clock on the nightstand. “When did you—”

“I just got back,” he replied. “I’m sorry I took so long. There was much to discuss.”

Anakin nodded, a yawn escaping his lips. “It’s alright. I figured as much.”

Obi-Wan couldn’t help but wince, guilt flooding him for leaving his Padawan for so long with nothing to do. He wished that he had come by sooner to check on the boy, but Anakin had been busy sleeping, perhaps out of exhaustion or just pure boredom.

“Are you hungry?” he asked before adding; “have you eaten since I left this morning?”

Anakin shook his head, “I’ve kinda been stuck here all day. It’s getting harder and harder to move around with this weighing me down,” he said as he poked his belly.

“You should eat,” said Obi-Wan as he rose from the bed, “I’ll go fix you something to eat before we head to the Halls of Healing. Master Ona would like to examine you again and make sure everything is alright.”

Anakin nodded, “okay, but first can you—?”

Obi-Wan frowned, uncertain as to what is was Anakin was asking him to do.

“Can I what?” he asked, watching as his Padawan huffed in annoyance.

“Can you help me up?” he asked before adding; “I think these creatures are getting bigger because I can’t get out of bed and I really have to use the refresher.”

Obi-Wan blinked as he realized that Anakin was too big at this point to even sit up properly let alone get out of bed without help, much to the young Padawans embarrassment.

“Oh— um, of course,” he said as he made his way over to Anakin before gently hoisting him up, extra careful not to groan from the boy's increased weight so as to not hurt his feelings. Although, it was apparent by then that even Anakin knew just how large he had grown as he struggled into a sitting position, his belly forcing his legs apart.

Obi-Wan pulled Anakin into a stand, his hands holding tightly onto his elbows as he steadied him.

“Thanks,” muttered Anakin, cheeks inflamed.

Anakin made the journey into the refresher, Obi-Wan hot on his heels to ensure that the boy didn’t fall over— which was becoming more and more of a possibility the larger he grew. It was almost ridiculous how large his belly had become. Round and firm, it sat on his narrow hips, making Anakin resemble a caricature more than anything. If Anakin had been a woman, he would not have been as large and as awkward as he was at this stage, the weight even more apparent on his ill-equipped body.

And yet, according to Master Ona, the creatures still had some more growing to do. A fact that made Obi-Wan internally wince as he watched Anakin disappear into the room, making a show of closing the door for privacy. He did, however, keep the door unlocked for Obi-Wan’s sake.

A few minutes later, Anakin emerged from the refresher, dressed in the large brown robes that Obi-Wan had provided him. He had decided to forego his leather tabard completely as well as his belt— not that it would’ve fit anyway. He did, however, wear his cloak in an effort to conceal himself.

Not that Obi-Wan could necessarily blame him.

“Okay,” he said, out of breath. “Let’s get this over with.”

**V**

Anakin couldn’t help but be nervous as they made their way to the Halls of Healing.

They took the back route, careful to avoid people for his sake, yet it did nothing to quell the panic that surged through the young Padawan every time they passed by someone. The last thing he wanted was to run into someone that he knew, especially those in his peer group.

Obi-Wan seemed to take notice of this as he whispered under his breath, “you need to calm yourself.”

“How can I?” asked Anakin as he fidgeted with his robes, his steps much slower than normal as he did his best to conceal the bump. “Everyone is looking at me.”

“No, they’re not,” he replied before adding; “but I guarantee you they will be if you don’t get your emotions in check.”

“Yes, Master,” Anakin replied, sourly. It didn’t help that he already felt like a freak without the pregnancy, but now he just felt like a bug under a microscope— something for people to gawk at. Even though he knew that no one would give him a second glance, he still felt as though there were eyes on him.

“Besides, it’s not like—”

Whatever Obi-Wan had been about to say was abruptly cut off by Anakin as he let out a sharp hiss, his face screwing up in pain as his hand shot to his belly, his cloak falling aside to expose his bump. He closed his eyes as Obi-Wan rushed to his side.

“What’s wrong?” he asked urgently. He grabbed onto Anakin’s elbow as if to prevent his knees from buckling out beneath him.

Anakin shook his head, “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

Anakin nodded, biting his lip. “It was just a hard kick. I’m used to it.”

“Do you need to sit down?”

Anakin shook his head, his eyes going from Obi-Wan’s worried eyes to something past him as his eyes widened. If Anakin had been pale before, it was nothing like now. Obi-Wan swore he could see the blood drain from his Padawan’s face.

Obi-Wan frowned as he glanced behind his shoulder to where a large group of Padawans had converged, all of them staring at him and Anakin— no doubt having overheard their conversation.

 _“Is that Anakin?”_ whispered one of the kids, a girl that Obi-Wan recognized from Anakin’s saber class.

 _“He looks like he swallowed a Loth melon,”_ another boy— one that Obi-Wan knew to be a bully— snickered under his breath.

All of them laughed.

“Master,” Anakin whimpered, devastated.

Obi-Wan knew better than to let his emotions get the best of him, but he couldn’t help but feel anger at the Padawan’s who were laughing at Anakin’s expense. What made it even worse was that he knew Anakin considered many of these kids to be his friends.

“All of you, go back to class. Now,” said Obi-Wan, sternly. He placed his hands on his hips as he glowered at them, making a mental note to speak to all of their master’s about their student's inappropriate behavior.

“Yes, Master Kenobi,” they replied, turning to leave. Their laughs and snickers, however, could still be heard as they disappeared down the corridor.

“Anakin, I am so sorry—” he turned around to face his Padawan, but the boy was already gone.

**V**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay safe you guys. It's crazy out there.
> 
> ALSO
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm really close to having this fic completed and I'm hoping by next week it will be done XD


	5. The Healer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's part five of my strange fic. I hope you enjoy :)

A few hours later, Anakin found himself curled by one of the many fountains in the Temple Gardens, his back pressed against the cool stone as he caressed his belly, tears pricking the corner of his eyes. He had no idea how long he had been sitting there— the ache in his back and hips that gradually grew over time giving him a pretty good indication that he had been there a while.

Still, he made no effort to move as tears pooling down his cheeks as he remembered the way that they had looked at him— as if he was some sort of freak. They had laughed at him, not even bothering to hide their emotions as they had snickered, their whispers loud enough for him to hear.

He knew that he was letting his emotions get the better of him. Obi-Wan had always told him to ignore what others said about him and focus on himself, but how could he not? How could he ignore what others said about him when they didn’t even bother to hide it?

The sound of footsteps drawing near brought Anakin out of his reverie as he furiously began to wipe the tears away. The last thing he wanted was to have Obi-Wan see him like this. He would tell him that he was being too emotional.

“Are you alright?” came a small but tentative voice. One that most definitely did not belong to his Master.

Reflexively, Anakin pulled his cloak tighter around him, as if it was some sort of shield that he could hide behind before he looked over his shoulder at the newcomer. When he realized who it was, he glared.

“What do you want?” he snapped.

“I— I came to apologize,” said Mina— a girl from his saber class that he didn’t know very well. They weren’t exactly friends, but Anakin had always been kind to her. And yet she had laughed at him, his respect for her having all but faded by then. She stopped short at the hostility in his voice as she nervously tugged at her sleeve. “And to see if you were alright.”

She sounded sincere, but Anakin glowered at her.

“Did Obi-Wan send you to find me?” he asked after a few moments of silence. There was a sharp edge to his voice as he narrowed his eyes at her— giving her the full force of his glare.

“No,” she shook her head, biting her lip. “I saw you leave, so I followed you here.”

Anakin bit his lip as he stared up at his friend— although he didn’t know if she could be called that anymore. She had laughed at him, just like the others.

And now she was trying to apologize.

“Did it ever occur to you that I wanted to be alone?” he asked, bitterly. The Temple Gardens were so large and dense that it was easy to get lost in the winding paths and the thick trees. It was also very calm and serene— a perfect place for Jedi to come and meditate, or in Anakin’s case disappear from the hustle and bustle of Temple life. This was one of his favorite spots, one that Obi-Wan most decidedly did not know about.

Which is why he had come here. He wanted to be alone.

“Master Kenobi is looking for you,” she said after a few moments of silence.

Anakin huffed, “I don’t want to talk to him.”

“He’s really worried about you,” she said before adding; “he’s been looking everywhere for you. I think he’s about to make a Temple wide announcement.”

Anakin snorted at the mental image of Obi-Wan using the rarely used Temple speakers, saying something along the lines of _‘I’ve lost my Padawan… Again. If you find him, please return him to me at once. Thank you.’_

“Anakin,” her serious tone bringing him back to the present, “this isn’t a laughing matter.”

Anakin frowned as he looked away, “you sound like Obi-Wan.”

She rolled her eyes, “I wasn’t joking when I said he was worried. He’s been searching everywhere for you. He’s frantic.”

Obi-Wan frantic? Anakin didn’t even know that was possible. His Master had always been the epitome of calm. Even in the most stressful of situations, Obi-Wan knew how to remain calm and collected. It was something that Anakin didn’t understand.

“Well he can stop,” remarked Anakin. “I’m fine. I don’t need him coddling me.”

“You don’t look fine to me,” she said as she pointed to his distended middle, “unless that really is a Loth melon you shoved up there, but I have a feeling it isn’t.”

“What does it matter to you?” he asked, defensively. He felt bitter resentment as well as annoyance at her prying, but he was careful not to allude to that as he reigned his emotions in. He resisted the urge to protectively cover his belly, his hands coming to grip the stone slabs beneath him.

He also didn’t want to give her the satisfaction of an answer, but she didn’t back off. In fact, she seemed even more determined at his defensiveness.

“What is it?” she asked, craning her neck as Anakin pulled his cloak tighter around him.

“Well it’s not a Loth melon,” said Anakin, sarcastically.

“Is it a baby?” she asked, green eyes widening as Anakin grimaced— both from her question and the kick to his kidneys. Subconsciously, he pressed his hand into his side as she cocked her head, clearly watching the spectacle with fascination.

“Stop looking at me like that,” he replied, uncomfortable under the weight of her stare.

“Sorry,” she said, clearing her throat. “I just— I didn’t know human males could get pregnant.”

“They can’t,” said Anakin, gritting his teeth, “at least not without medical attention, or in my case a crazy scientist…”

“So, you are pregnant,” she said as Anakin winced. He had walked right into that.

He could feel the corners of his lips twitch, “is that why you followed me? So, you could marvel at the pregnant Padawan some more?” he asked, resentment in his voice.

“You’re my friend,” she said before adding; “why would I do that?”

“Yeah right,” he said, skeptical. “I saw you. You were laughing at me,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest as he refused to meet her gaze. He wanted to tell her how he felt, but at the same time he didn’t want her to see how much it had truly bothered him. He still felt silly getting so worked up over it and letting his emotions get the better of him.

She shrugged, “everyone else was.”

Anakin frowned, “so?”

“I was just trying to fit in,” she said before adding; “I know it was wrong, but It just sorta-- happened. I don't know why I laughed and I'm sorry I did. That’s why I came to see if you were alright.”

Anakin blinked at the sincerity in her words.

“Oh.”

Anakin glanced back at her, noting the way that her eyes were still glued to his belly. Mina had always been an oddball, kinda like him. She had trouble fitting in with others, much like Anakin. And yet it still seemed as though she was more accepted in their circle of peers than he was. No matter what, Anakin had always been the outcast.

But then again, he knew that Mina struggled as well. He could understand her reasons, but that didn’t mean that he was ready to forgive her.

He squirmed under her stare as he adjusted his cloak as if it could shield him from the intensity of her gaze.

“How did it happen?”

Anakin pursed his lips, “Llewyn Caros.”

“You mean that guy that you and Master Kenobi were supposed to arrest? The one on the holo news?”

He nodded, “he captured me and—” he motioned towards his abdomen as if that was explanation enough. “We’re waiting for Master Windu to return so that he can remove them.”

Anakin wondered where they would go when that happened. According to Master Ona, the babies were not human nor were they Force-sensitive. Their species— which was native to Banuatu— needed water to survive. More specifically, the swampy waters of Banuatu. They wouldn’t be able to survive without it. Which meant that they would have to be returned to their native homeworld as soon as they were born.

As if sensing his trepidation, the creatures moved inside of him, causing him to clutch his belly in a protective manner, his breath catching at the thought of them being left to fend for themselves— alone and without any help, which according to the Jedi healer was typical for their species. But still, Anakin couldn’t help but feel worried, nonetheless.

If Mina sensed his unease, she didn’t comment on it.

Mina opened her mouth to respond, but she was interrupted as one or two of the creatures delivered a swift kick to one of Anakin’s major internal organs, causing the young boy to groan in pain. He winced as he clutched his side, his face twisting and contorting.

“Are you okay?” asked Mina, voice full of worry.

“Yeah,” replied Anakin, out of breath, “they’re just moving around a lot all of a sudden. I think—"

He froze as the familiar and uncomfortable feeling of tightness and rigidness overtook him, his face paling as his belly let out a very loud and audible gurgle.

 _“Oh no,”_ he said, his hands traveling across the domed expanse. His belly let another gurgle, one that seemed to last for ages as he felt his abdominal muscles begin to quiver beneath his fingers.

“Anakin?” asked Mina, cautiously. “Are you okay? You don’t look so good…”

He groaned as he gripped the wall, his belly growing painfully tight as he turned to look at Mina, his face contorting and twisting in obvious pain and discomfort as he braced himself for what was about to happen.

He opened his mouth to reply, but all the came out was a muffled groan as his belly began to push out. Inch by inch, it surged forward— his girth increasing as the skin began to throb and pulsate from the unwelcomed and sudden expansion.

The young female Padawan jumped to her feet at the sight, her green eyes widening in both fascination and horror as her friend grew before her very eyes.

Anakin groaned, his face contorting in agony as his fingers were slowly pushed apart by the growing mass. He could feel his body protesting, his joints aching and creaking at the sudden and exponential growth. His hips felt like they were on fire and his skin felt stretched to the max.

As the mass grew, he could feel it pressing further and further up his diaphragm. He felt even more out of breath than normal as he panted for air— his breaths coming out short and desperate.

Finally, the growth came to a halt, but Anakin felt as though there was a heavyweight pressing down on his lungs— making it hard to breathe let alone talk.

Distantly, he could feel Mina’s panic— but it felt so far away; muffled. She stood frozen, her hands covering her mouth as she stared at him. She looked horrified, not that he could blame her.

The room began to spin as Anakin slumped forward, his body making contact with the cool ground in front of him. Face pressed to the wet concrete and eyes fluttering, Anakin felt as though he could stay there forever.

But then a familiar pair of arms wrapped around him, hoisting him up and holding him onto him tightly. Still, it wasn’t enough to drag him from the brink of unconsciousness as the world began to fade, his master’s worried face the last thing he saw before everything went dark.

**V**

****“You need sleep,” said Master Ona, her voice enough to drag Obi-Wan out of his reverie as he looked up at the woman, his eyes not quite meeting hers as he stared at his Padawan’s prone form— unconscious and oblivious to the world around him as he slept.

Obi-Wan grimaced, “I can’t.”

Master Ona nodded in understanding, but she continued on. “You’ve been up for hours. Anakin isn’t going anywhere, Master Kenobi.”

“They laughed at him,” he said, out of the blue. Turning in his seat so that he could have a better look at the woman beside him, Kenobi addressed her once again. “The other Padawans… They laughed at him.”

“Kids can be cruel,” she shook her head. “Especially to those whom they deem outsiders.”

Obi-Wan cast his eyes downward; ashamed. “I thought things were better now. That he was making friends and adjusting to Temple life more… And I thought that the others had finally accepted him,” he shook his head; “I should’ve known better.”

“Hey,” said Master Ona as she lowered herself down next to him, “don’t blame yourself. What happened isn’t your fault.”

“I didn’t listen to him,” said Kenobi, “when he said that the other Padawans didn’t like him… I told him to get over it. I told him to stop being overdramatic and to let it go. But I had no idea it was this bad,” he rubbed a tired hand over his face. “I should’ve done something. Talked to their Master’s or—”

“That would’ve made things even worse and you know it,” she said. “They would’ve hounded on him even more. You know how it goes.”

He grimaced as he remembered his own time as an Initiate and then as a Padawan. All the times he had been picked on and made fun of by the other students… Had he really forgotten what it was like? Had his age made him forget?

“When he stopped complaining, I assumed things had gotten better,” Obi-Wan shook his head in dismay. Anakin had lied to him and he hadn’t even sensed it. What did that say about him? That he did not know his Padawan as well as he had thought?

Obi-Wan pursed his lips as he watched the steady rise and fall of his Padawan’s chest— the continuous flow of oxygen ensuring that his lungs got what they needed. He looked so helpless lying there— so weak and broken…

He closed his eyes and rubbed a hand over his face.

“Even if you had known, what would you have done?” she inquired.

“Anything,” he spat. “Anakin is my Padawan and—”

“Exactly,” she deadpanned. “He’s your Padawan, not your son. It’s your job to teach and guide him, not parent him.”

“But it is my job to protect him,” he fired back. “And I have failed.”

_Failed as a Jedi. Failed as a Master. Failed as a mentor— Anakin was in this situation because of him. Because of his inability to protect him. If only he had—_

Master Ona grabbed his hand, her gaze gentle and reassuring. It was enough to bring him out of his pity party as he stared at her, his attention focusing on someone else besides Anakin for the first time since he Obi-Wan had found him passed out in the gardens.

“You shouldn’t place all the blame upon yourself,” she said, firmly. “Not everything is within your control, Master Kenobi. Sometimes things happen,” she looked towards Anakin, “horrible, awful things that are just out of our control. I believe that this is one of those moments.”

“You think he’ll be alright?”

She gave him a thin, tight smile— one that was reassuring and yet at the same time reserved. It didn’t quite reach her eyes. “In time, yes.”

That was not the answer Obi-Wan wanted, but it was the right one, nonetheless.

“sometimes,” she squeezed his hand, “the only way out is through.”

**V**

****“Find you here, I knew I would,” said Master Yoda as he hobbled into the room. “Sensed your worry, I did.”

The little green Jedi looked solemn and Obi-Wan found himself holding his breath— although he wasn’t sure why. His nerves were starting to get the better of him at that point.

Master Ona had left some time earlier, leaving a few of her staff to keep an eye on the still unconscious Padawan. She had advised Obi-Wan to return to his quarters and rest, but the Jedi felt duty-bound to stay with Anakin. He couldn’t leave. Not till he knew for certain Anakin would be okay.

“Guard your emotions better, you should,” Yoda reprimanded, although it was gentle. More like a suggestion than a command.

He nodded, “I’m sorry. I will try and do better.”

Yoda’s eyes swept over Anakin, taking in the sight of the young Padawan as he rested on his cane. “A great disturbance, this is. Much suffering and pain I feel from young Skywalker. Fear for him, I do.”

That wasn’t like Master Yoda to say, but Obi-Wan did not question it as he sighed; exhausted and drained. “He hasn’t regained consciousness yet. Master Ona says sometime soon, but—”

“But prefer he didn’t, you wish,” commented Yoda.

“He needs to rest,” argued Obi-Wan, weakly. The real reason was he didn’t want Anakin to have another breakdown. Didn’t think he could stomach it.

“Need it as well, you do,” said Yoda before adding; “been up for hours, you have.”

“Even if I wanted too, I don’t think I could sleep knowing that Caros is still out there somewhere,” said Obi-Wan, his thoughts drifting back towards the man that had started this all. He couldn’t help the anger that followed. _The rage—_

He closed his eyes and withdrew his thoughts. Anger and hatred were not the Jedi way. Or at least, he tried to tell himself that. His emotions, however, remained.

“Received news from Master Windu, I have,” Yoda hobbled closer to the two of them. “Apprehended Caros, they have.”

Obi-Wan inhaled sharply. “They have?”

“Mmmhmmm,” nodded Yoda, tapping his cane lightly on the floor. “Returning to Coruscant, they are.”

“That’s—”

_Wonderful news. Incredibly wonderful news. Obi-Wan wanted to leap for joy. Wanted to shout it from the Temple roof for all to hear._

“That’s good,” he replied, his tone bland. “I’m glad to hear.”

More than glad. Obi-Wan was relieved, but he didn’t let Yoda know that as turned to look at Anakin, happy that this would soon be over with. This pregnancy— if it could even be called that— had already taken a devastating toll on Anakin. Both physically and mentally.

“As am I,” said Yoda before adding; “out of the woods yet, Anakin is not. Whether Caros will be compliant in helping young Skywalker, we do not know.”

“He will,” Obi-Wan’s eyes darkened. “I will make him.”

It was not the Jedi way and Obi-Wan was certain that if they were in any other situation that Master Yoda would voice his concerns. But he remained uncharacteristically silent.

And the silence remained.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
